Cartwright, Edmund

views updated May 14 2018

Cartwright, Edmund (1743–1823). Inventor. A younger brother of John Cartwright, the parliamentary reformer, who also had a taste for inventing, Edmund Cartwright was an Anglican clergyman and from 1779 held the living of Goadby Marwood (Leics.). In 1785 he patented a loom driven by water, which he developed later in a factory near Doncaster. In 1789 he invented a wool-combing machine, which saved labour and caused great agitation among the workers. Cartwright was obliged to abandon his own factory, but his inventions were widely adopted, and in 1809 he was awarded a grant of £10,000 by Parliament.

J. A. Cannon

Cartwright, Edmund

views updated May 18 2018

Cartwright, Edmund (1743–1823) English inventor of the power loom. It was patented in 1785, but not used commercially until the early 19th century. He also invented a wool-combing machine (patented 1789) and an alcohol engine (1797).

About this article

Edmund Cartwright

All Sources -
Updated Aug 24 2016 About encyclopedia.com content Print Topic